2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 Hands-On Preview: 5 Reasons It's Better as An EV

Take one of our favorite luxury SUVs—but make it electric.

Genesis just couldn’t take a break, could it? Last year the Korean luxury brand launched three new products, including the flagship G90, Electrified G80, and all-new GV60—the latter of which just made the AutoGuide Awards shortlist. It mixed a few concepts in there too, including the drop-dead gorgeous Genesis X Convertible. In fact, when we were in Los Angeles to oogle the latter, we almost overlooked the brand’s next production model, the 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70.

We got another chance to spend some quality time with the Electrified GV70 at the end of 2022, however. Like the Electrified G80 before it, this one does what it says on the tin: swaps in an EV drivetrain on a previously gas-only vehicle. But instead of a niche mid-sized sedan, it’s the brand’s best-selling compact SUV. It’s kind of a big deal.

Ahead of the launch later this year, here in no particular order are the five reasons we’re excited for the new Electrified GV70:

We’re simple folks here at AutoGuide. We like a good bit of power, especially the addictive, instant-access stuff that comes with EVs. The Electrified GV70 brings the goods, with more horsepower and torque than the current 3.5-liter turbo-V6 range-topper. And that one’s already pretty quick.

The pertinent numbers are 429 and 446; ponies and pound-feet, respectively. Poke the discreet Boost button and those numbers bump up to 483 hp and 516 lb-ft for 10 seconds.

Eagle-eyed readers may note those figures are identical to the ones in the GV60 Performance. The Electrified GV70 borrows most of its underpinnings from its little brother, including the dual electric motors, all-wheel drive, and 77.4-kWh battery pack. North American range figures aren’t available yet, but the GV70 is quoted at a 249-mile (400-kilometer) range in its native South Korea.

The GV60 is Genesis’ first ground-up, dedicated EV. The Electrified G80 and Electrified GV70 both adapt existing ICE platforms for all-electric duty. There are certainly advantages to doing things the former way: optimized battery placement and more comparative passenger capacity are just two examples. But that doesn’t make a dedicated platform the best choice—and the G80 proves it.

When we drove the Electrified G80 last year, it impressed for just how “regular” it felt. A luxury car should provide a quiet, comfortable ride, and what’s quieter than an electric motor? We love the future spaceship feel of the GV60, but some folks want a car that just so happens to be electric. The G80 fills that role, and we expect the GV70 to do the same thing in the compact SUV space.

The GV70 has one of our very favorite interiors under six figures. Equal parts expressive and minimalist, the oval-forward space is chock full of fun details, from the hideaway charging section, the satisfying click wheel, and the 3D instrument panel. All the materials are top-notch, too, as Genesis continues to show it belongs in the same sentence as the German Big Three.

Beyond the design, the GV70’s interior is also one of the more spacious options in the class. The electrification does eat into the legroom somewhat, so expect a little less than the gas car’s 37.2 inches (945 millimeters). We don’t have final cargo figures either, but the gas car boasts 28.9 cubic feet (818 liters) behind the rear seats.

That’s not to say the GV70 interior is a direct Control-V of the gas model’s cabin. The steering wheel is the three-spoke design found in the Sport, but features the afore-mentioned Boost button at the six-o’clock position. Certain markets, including Canada, get unique door trim pieces, which feature a subtle fractal design and a soft ambient glow behind. Sorry, America: it’s just aluminum trim for your Electrified GV70. The light leather seats gain unique gold piping, too.

There are a few exterior tells, as well. The lack of exhaust pipes is the obvious one, but there are also unique 20-inch alloy wheels, with either silver or white calipers behind them. Genesis’ G-Matrix pattern fills in the grille, and like the Electrified G80, also camouflages the nose-mounted charge port.

Speaking of charging, the shared DNA with the GV60 allows the Electrified GV70 to gulp down electrons. Hooked up to a 350 kW fast-charger, it should be able to pull off the 10–80 percent metric in as little as 18 minutes. Like its E-GMP siblings, the GV70 is also Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capable, allowing owners to charge appliances via the port.

We said it before: we’re simple folks here. So we appreciate the curated trim lineup for the 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70. US buyers will have the choice of two trims, Advanced and Prestige, while Canada sticks with just the latter. The drivetrain is the same in both; the differences lie in the leather quality, heated rear seats and steering wheel, and about a half dozen other features. There are two interior color options in both markets; while Canada has eight exterior paint choices, the US has half that.

Genesis hasn’t announced pricing quite yet, but expect it ahead of the Electrified GV70’s launch this spring.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.